The third annual Terpestival, sponsored by the Cannabis and Social Policy Center, is an educational event coupled with a “terpene tournament.” It was exclusively designed to educate the Cannabis industry and the public on “whole plant” knowledge to create more effective branding and to encourage conscious consumption of Cannabis. The Terpestival offered producers and processors the chance to showcase their top products by competing for the top terpene characteristics in flower or solventless extract such as raw CO2, bubble hash, dry sift and more.

There were three panels during the day including Industry Evolution of Terpenes, Cannabis Derived and other Terpenes and Terpenes and Wellness. All panels addressed terpenes and the role that the whole plant plays in the future of Cannabis. The panels featured guests from around the country as well as locals including Kevin Jodrey, owner of Wonderland Nursery in Humbolt, Ben Cassiday from True Terpenes in Portland, and many others with valuable knowledge of terpenes and Cannabis.

The keynote speech was by renowned Cannabis researcher Dr. Ethan Russo. Russo shared some unpublished work with the crowd, glued to his every word. This new information, in his soon-to-be published work, includes terpenes such as Guaiene, which is a sesquiterpene that presents earthy, spicy aromas and tastes. Russo also shared that he eschews the use of the terms sativa and indica. Instead, he says, “show me the plant’s cannabinoid and terpenoid profile and I’ll tell you what it is good for treating.”

The event also featured booths from producers, processors and retailers who showcased how terpenes fit into their model. One retailer, Dockside, set up an aroma bar with various terpene samples to educate consumers on what terpenes they find attractive and to seek those out when makingflower and concentrate purchases. They also had wood pieces on which you could create your own terpene combination, to use as an air freshener. Another booth, True Terpenes, set up an aroma bar with plant derived terpenes that can be found in Cannabis, where guests could inhale each terpene via steam diffusers. Overall, it was a great educational experience for participants to expand their understanding of the Cannabis plant.